January 5, 2013 – Mt Owens (Cooper Mtn)

Title: January 5, 2013 – Mt Owens (Copper Mtn)

Trail head: Blasingame Ranch

Hike Info:

Trail: Blasingame Ranch to Mt Owens (Private)

Destination: Mt. Owens (Cooper Mtn)

Distance: 9.7 miles

Travel Time: 4:15 (2.28mph)

Moving Time: 3:23 (2.87mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,397'

Maximum Elevation: 1,629'

Description:
This is my second time with the Central Valley Hiking meetup group. Today we are going over to the Blasingame ranch and hike to the top of Mt Owens. It is a private ranch-we are invited guests. We meet at a north Fresno Starbucks and car pool up to the ranch, along Auberry Road. Surprise—Lisa, one of the people whom I worked at with FUSD is on this trip.

The Group-Central Valley Hiking

The ranch and the rolling hills behind it, reminds me of the area around Rockville Hills Regional Park—only thing, what we are seeing is a sea of emerald green grass, stretching from the road, up to the top of the ridge. We drive about a quarter mile into the ranch and park at some of the livestock pens. Marianne gives us instructions on how to get to the top and then we set out, after some photo's. We are a herd of about 18 hikers.

We go pretty level for the first three-quarters of a mile, stopping at an outhouse. Then up a slope. The whole hills we are surrounded are lush and green. So relaxing, so inviting. Up we go. Marianne shows us a grinding rock where Native American's ground their acorns. Even the pestles are there.

Copper Mountain

Sierra's to the east

We move on. I have been walking with Nate and we are talking about our wives. After the grinding stone, I walk with Wayne, Bob and Adam. Adam is Bob's son, who is going to CSU, Fresno and is working towards being a pilot in the Air Force. He is a young man who had his head screwed on right. We are one of the slower groups, going a touch below 3mph. But we make it. The sight from the top is 360. From the Central Valley and Fresno State to looking northward and Millerton Lake and then beyond to the southern mountains of Yosemite. Eastward at the San Joaquin drainage, and the a bit more southward to the Kings River area and the National Parks there. The snow covered mountains were spectacular.



After having lunch and a granola bar, it was time to go down. We split up into two groups. The larger number decides to go cross country, across hill tops and ridges. Six of us, including me, decide to go back via the road/trail which we came up on. I started walking with Wayne. After a ways, switched off and talked with Jeanne. Like Sherri and I, she retired from FUSD a year and a half ago. Later on, got a chance to talk with Jim, her husband about The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. Very enjoyable. We got down before the other group.

Road behind; Mountains before us

Oaks on a ridge

Afterwards, we go to Friant and have fun socializing at the Pizza Factory.